University of California Teaching Faculty Advised to Avoid "Microagressions" Such as "America is the Land of Opportunity" or Denying an Accusation of Racism

On the latter, when someone accuses you of racism, and you deny it, you are "microaggressing" them by Denying Their Truth and delegitimizing their lived experience.

Eugene Volokh of the eponymous conspiracy.

But of course this concept [of the "microaggression"] is now being used to suppress not just, say, personal insults or discrimination in hiring or grading, but also ideas that the UC wants to exclude from university classrooms. Here, from the UC Office of the President, Academic and Personnel Programs department’s site... are some of what the UC wants to see stamped out, in classrooms and presumably elsewhere as well:

Tool: Recognizing Microaggressions and the Messages They Send

Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership (from Diversity in the Classroom, UCLA Diversity & Faculty Development, 2014). The first step in addressing microaggressions is to recognize when a microaggression has occurred and what message it may be sending. The context of the relationship and situation is critical. Below are common themes to which microaggressions attach….

[Theme:] Color Blindness[:] Statements that indicate that a White person does not want to or need to acknowledge race.

[Microaggression Examples:] "There is only one race, the human race."
"America is a melting pot."
"I don’t believe in race." ...

[Theme:] Denial of Individual Racism/Sexism/Heterosexism[:] A statement made when bias is denied….

[Microaggression Examples:] … To a person of color: "Are you sure you were being followed in the store? I can’t believe it."...

[Theme:] Myth of Meritocracy[:] Statements which assert that race or gender does not play a role in life successes, for example in issues like faculty demographics.

[Microaggression Examples:] "I believe the most qualified person should get the job."
"Of course he’ll get tenure, even though he hasn't published much -- he’s Black!"
"Men and women have equal opportunities for achievement."
"Gender plays no part in who we hire."
"America is the land of opportunity.""
“Everyone can succeed in this society, if they work hard enough."
"Affirmative action is racist."

Well, I’m happy to say that I’m just going to keep on microaggressing.

Volokh notes that while these examples are presented as things to be avoided to avoid offense, what they actually constitute is an official forbiddance of expression of certain ideological beliefs -- that is, anything contradicting the racist leftwing fanatically-tribalist Cultural Marxism agenda.

They are attempting to make a political viewpoint effectively illegal.

And this is more than an advisory: there are consequences to speaking the truth. Fewer and fewer teachers have tenure, meaning they are more dependent on the goodwill of the leftwing school administrators (and leftwing student agitation groups)
to even have a job.

And have no doubt: When the threat is to deny you your employment and hence your daily bread if you express Nonconforming Mindthoughts and Soulpatterns of a Subversive nature, it is effectively outlawed.

The fact that the U of C is the official state financed, owned and operated California university makes the state's list of Thou Shalt Not Think especially, well, problematic.

Old question: Can America be saved?

New question: Is there anything left of America worth saving?

Let us begin talking about Plan Bs and Exit Plans.

posted by Ace at 03:15 PM

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